


Let bygones be

by disjointed_scribblings



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abusive Dursley Family (Harry Potter), Angst, Canon - Book, Gen, Redeemed Dudley Dursley, References to past trauma, therapy for everyone in the HP universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:07:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23660536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/disjointed_scribblings/pseuds/disjointed_scribblings
Summary: August, 2009. Can you ever really escape your childhood? An unexpected encounter dredges up old emotional wounds.
Relationships: Dudley Dursley & Harry Potter, Dudley Dursley/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 178





	Let bygones be

_**August 2009** _

There were two women sitting on the bench by the sandbox; the red-headed one had her foot on the axel of a pram, and the one with bushy brown hair held a baby in her lap.Both women were laughing, and both were training eagle eyes on the toddlers playing in the sand. 

Marianne stopped short when she saw them, squinted, then gasped."Hermione?Hermione Granger?" 

The brunette looked up and blinked.“Yes?” 

Marianne clapped her hands together gleefully.“It is you!You’ve done something to your hair, and -- have you fixed your teeth?But I thought it was you.Maybe you don’t remember me though, it’s been a long time — “

“Marianne?” Hermione Granger said tentatively.“Marianne Sifton?” 

"Oh, you do remember!" exclaimed Marianne, overjoyed. 

The redhead raised her eyebrows, then leaned over to yell, "Al, stop hitting Rosie and put down that shovel." 

“Of course!” said Hermione.“It has been a while, but we lived just next door to each other for — what, eight years?”

“Something like that.Before you went off to some fancy school for ridiculously intelligent children.But enough about that—how are you?How's life?What are you doing with yourself?" 

"Oh, well, I'm fine, life's fine.Nothing too exciting, career-wise, just your average civil servant—“

"No!You, a civil servant?We all swore up and down you'd be Prime Minister someday." 

"Well, most likely not, although if I play my cards right, perhaps someday I will be working closely with the Prime Minister." 

The redhead stifled a giggle, and called out, "Rosie!Sand belongs in the sandbox, not in Al's hair." 

"And you?" asked Hermione, somewhat anxiously."How are you, et cetera." 

"I'm just wonderful.I'm a speech pathologist, working with children who have language impairments—it's quite a challenge, of course, but very fulfilling—and I'm getting married in a few months!”

“Oh, how lovely!Congratulations!” 

“Thank you.My fiancé's around here somewhere... Dudley?" 

Dudley, who had been hanging back and trying to figure out why he suddenly felt so unsettled, stepped forward."Yes, love?” 

"Look!I've run into an old chum from way back when.Come say hello." 

Obediently, Dudley did. 

"Hermione, my fiancé Dudley.Dudley, this is Hermione Granger.”

"Well, actually, I go by Hermione Granger-Weasley now," Hermione said, smiling, as she shook Dudley's hand."But it's a bit of a mouthful." 

"Weasley," Dudley said uneasily."That's not a very common name."And he’d heard it before, but couldn’t quite place it…

Hermione just laughed and gestured toward the baby crawling over her lap."This is my youngest, Hugo... sixteen months, isn't he adorable?"The women all cooed over this, but Dudley retreated a step, jittery.

"The little red-headed hellion in the sandbox," Hermione continued, pointing, "is my daughter Rose.She's nearly four now.” 

Marianne raised her eyebrows."Two kids already, Hermione?You've been busy.Marry your high school sweetheart or something?" 

Hermione exchanged an amused glance with the redhead beside her."Something like that.By the way, this is my sister-in-law, Ginny Potter."

_Potter._

Suddenly Dudley remembered where he’d seen the name Weasley, on the wedding invitation his mother had crumpled but not binned.

"Pleasure to meet you," nodded Ginny."The other little heathens are mine.I have another, but he’s otherwise engaged at the moment.My husband had to take his godson to do some errands, so he took my brother and James—our oldest—along with him and made it into a bit off a boy’s outing.” 

"That is so sweet,” sighed Marianne, trying to catch Dudley’s eye with that ‘won’t it be lovely when it’s our turn?’ expression. 

Dudley did not reciprocate because he was focused on trying not to have a panic attack. All he could hear was the echo of the redhead's name... _Potter... Potter... Potter..._

Behind him, he heard a child scream, "Mummy!" and a small boy ran by him, jumping into Ginny Potter's arms. 

"Speak of the devil," said Hermione, laughing. 

No, thought Dudley.Not this.Not now. 

"Mummy, we went to Diagon Alley!And I want an ow--"

"That's nice dear, you can tell me all about it once we get home," interrupted his mother."Look!Here comes Dad.Did you run away from him?" 

"Yes, he did, the little escape artist,” came a voice, and Dudley turned around slowly. 

Harry Potter looked better than Dudley had ever seen him before.He'd lost the extreme skinniness of his youth, turning now to broader shoulders and maybe even a slightly doughy belly.His face—his face wasn't much different, except, as he watched his wife and child, his expression was so soft and happy that Dudley wondered if this could really be the same person who'd screamed his head off after being chased up a tree by Aunt Marge's dog. 

Harry didn't notice Dudley.The red-haired man beside him did, as did the boy laden with shopping bags, but neither of them commented. 

"I've just been reconnecting with an old acquaintance," said Hermione, gesturing to her old friend."This is Marianne Sifton, we grew up together.” 

Both men nodded.Dudley held his breath. 

Maybe Hermione started to make more introductions, but Dudley didn't hear, because at that moment, Harry turned and caught his eye. 

Recognition and disbelief flitted across Harry's face.Both cousins were in too much shock to do much more than stare. 

Dudley found himself wondering what Harry saw.He knew he'd changed over the years—his main hobbies were boxing and weightlifting, and as a result he’d lost most of the fat of his early teen years and gained a hell of a lot of muscle; he had a little bit of a beard now, not much, just enough to frame his face and make it look like he had some sort of neck; and, he hoped, he didn't look as... well, piggish as he had in the past. 

Finally, after an eternity during which the rest of the group had fallen into an uncomfortable silence, Harry nodded tightly."Dudley." 

"Harry." 

More silence. 

"How... how have you been?" Dudley finally made himself ask. 

"Not bad.You've met my wife?" 

Dudley nodded. 

"I have two sons and a daughter." 

"Yeah... yeah, I know." 

Harry raised an eyebrow. 

"I mean, you write Mum sometimes.I don't think she replies, but... she showed me the pictures..."

Fortunately, Dudley's awkward stammering was interrupted by a small blur, which made its way toward Harry. 

"Daddy!" 

Harry scooped up the child and ruffled his hair, never taking his eyes off Dudley."My youngest son, Albus." 

"Yes, Albus Severus, I know.Mum wanted to know why you named him after the git — that is—" Dudley stopped, unsure of what he wanted to say."He looks a lot like you as a kid.” 

Harry raised his eyebrows again."Yes, except, if you'll notice, Al's not exactly wearing James's castoff clothes... nor does he sleep in a cupboard." 

Dudley felt dizzy. So they weren't letting bygones be bygones, then. 

"I didn’t—I don’t—“He forced himself to take a deep breath, to remember what his therapist had told him."Well, reckon you’re not stuffing either of your sons with candy, or teaching them that the world owes them whatever they want, so they've already got a leg up on me."He paused to breathe again, knowing his face had to be bright red by now."I'm not responsible for my parents." 

There was a moment of silence, and then Harry looked away."I always forget that Aunt Petunia knew Snape." 

Dudley was baffled by the change in topic. 

"What?Your aunt knew _Snape_?" interjected the red-haired man behind Harry. 

"You've met my brother-in-law, Ron Weasley, although it was short and unpleasant, and quite a while ago.I'm not sure if you remember."Harry nodded at the red-haired man, and Dudley recognized him suddenly. 

"You!You're one of the ones with the... the candy?" 

Ron Weasley laughed."Oh, Merlin, I'd completely forgotten about that.Ton-Tongue Taffees... we still sell those, they've had a recent boost in sales actually..."

"People actually _buy_ those things?" asked Dudley, horrified. 

"It's a joke," explained Weasley."People buy them for friends and then, you know, watch laugh as their tongues swell.It can be very funny. Of course, I don't think that kind of product could ever reach the popularity of our Skiving Snackboxes, the Puking Pastilles are the most popular right now..."

Dudley was eyeing him nervously."Are you mental?That's your idea of a joke?I can't imagine anyone wanting to watch their friends puke, not even one of—“He stopped short. 

"If you say, 'One of your lot,' I swear I will curse you, secrecy act be damned," said Harry quietly, and Dudley knew it was true. 

"Am I missing something here?" asked Marianne from somewhere in the background. 

"I'm not my father," Dudley said.It came out easily by now—his therapist had him repeating it ten times every day as an affirmation."You want to talk to my father, you go to Little Whinging.You can't just talk at me." 

He and Harry continued to stare at each other.Finally Harry nodded. 

"How's Aunt Petunia?" 

Dudley accepted the change of subject as a peace offering."Doing well.Slowed down a bit.I think she's getting sentimental in her old age."He thought for a second, decided Harry would like to know."She, er, she's kept all the pictures you've sent.Of your kids.She hides them in the sewing room where Dad never goes." 

"Sewing room?" 

"Ah—she doesn’t actually sew.But she said she wanted a space to herself, so— your old bedroom, she made it into a sewing room after, well, after the… the incident.” 

"The _incident_ ," said Ron Weasley incredulously. 

Dudley flushed again."Fine, then.Do I have to say it?After you all nearly died.After _we_ nearly died." 

"Nearly," muttered Harry."I _did_ die for a few minutes there.” 

"What?" 

Harry shook his head."It doesn't matter." 

"You all nearly _died_?What happened?" 

Marianne.They'd all forgotten about her.For a few moments, no one could do anything but stare at her and wonder how on earth they could possibly explain.It was too much, Dudley thought.Magic and family history and awful childhood regrets. 

Finally, Harry broke the silence, nodding at Dudley."Well, keep in touch." 

"Yep." 

More awkward silence, and then one of the children started to whimper.Everyone turned to face them—Dudley grabbed Marianne’s hand and pulled her away. 

"Who was that?What just happened?And what's with that kid whose hair keeps changing colours?" 

“Any chance you’ll wait until after we’re married before you make me explain?”

Marianne snorted.

“Just remember that I love you,” Dudley said.

“That bad, is it?”But she laced her fingers through his. “I love you too.”

And that was a sort of magic of its own, wasn’t it?


End file.
